Petitions
Notice of Petition
Received from Elena van der Graaf, 575 signatures
Children born 1Apr–31Aug are not required to start school until the September following their 5th birthday (Compulsory School Age or CSAge). If parents wish for them to start in reception at CSAge, rather than year1, they must ask the admissions authority. Legally, the decision about *when* a child starts full time education is solely down to the parents. The School Admissions Code states that the admissions authority must then decide *which year group* is in the child's best interests to join - reception or year1. If placed in year1, the child will miss a whole year of *essential/critical* education, which is not in their best interests, and defies the government's position on school attendance. Unlike other LAs, SurreyCC does not adopt a flexible approach to these requests. Parents are routinely advised that, without exceptional circumstances, their child will be placed directly into year1 or miss a year later on if reception entry is agreed. We urge SurreyCC to allow summer born children to start at CSAge in reception and continue their education with that cohort, if this is their parents' wish.
A response will be tabled at the meeting.
Decision:
That the response, attached to this decision sheet as Appendix 1, be approved.